


A Life for a Life

by 37butterflies



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, Minor Character Death, i guess?, there is minor violence but it's nothing worse than appears in the podcast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-11
Updated: 2017-01-11
Packaged: 2018-09-16 19:32:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,018
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9286733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/37butterflies/pseuds/37butterflies
Summary: In Wonderland sacrifices must be made.





	

       Taako was the first to hit the ground, followed quickly by Merle who dropped to a knee, panting heavily. Magnus felt the exhaustion of constant fighting, the pain of every challenge they had endured ever present. He could feel the open wounds cover his body, blood slowly soaking into his dusty, tattered clothes. His muscles screamed as he drop his hands to his sides, RailSplitter feeling like a two ton weight in his hand, but with their latest foe freshly defeated he still had enough adrenaline to keep him standing. He had been rather lucky; being the tank that he is, he was harder to wear down than his companions.

       He glanced over at the other two, trying to level his own breathing. He thought Taako had caught himself has he fell, but looking now Magnus realized that the elf was in fact unconscious in the dirt. Magnus immediately forgot whatever pain that was on his mind and rushed to Taako, falling to his knees and picking up the unconscious form, cradling him in his arms.

       Taako did not look good. In fact, he looked really really really bad. Being crushed momentarily by a massive piece of machinery right off the bat had roughed him up severely, and the trials they faced after that had only worsened his condition. His body was beat to hell; his clothes were shredded and stained, the usually bright colored fabrics dimmed and darkened with dirt and blood. The hardest thing for Magnus was looking at the elf’s face. Even unconscious, Taako’s expression was pained. He had gashes and bruises and dirt all over. His skin was so pale and tinged grey; he looked dead. Magnus’ stomach dropped. _Oh god_ , he thought, _he isn’t…he isn’t dead. Is he?_

       Magnus held his hand under Taako’s nose and felt the faintest tickle of a breath. Magnus’ heart skipped a beat and he let out a breath of his own that he didn’t realize he was holding. Taako was alive, barely, but alive. The relief was short lived as he realized the position they were in. He looked at Merle, who was beginning to stand, then back down at Taako. This was it. This is what they had to work with. No healing in Wonderland.

       “My, my,” the female elf’s voice overhead cooed, “that last one was quite a fun challenge, wasn't it?”

       Her voice made Magnus feel sick to his stomach and filled his heart with rage. Merle had made his way over to him and Taako and put his hand on Magnus’ shoulder. His grip instinctively tightened around Taako.

       The male elf’s voice chimed in now, “Oh dear! Your friend looks like he had a little too much fun!” They both laughed like he had made a joke. It was infuriating.

       “Well, we were going to do another round of roulette,” the female elf spoke again, “but he doesn’t seem to have much left to give now does he? The stakes are so much lower for him; it just isn’t as fun!” She addressed the male elf, “what do you think we should do?”

       The male elf hummed and hawed, dragging out the moment in a newly painful way. Everything previously had been so immediate—one challenge directly followed by the next—that this extended moment drove Magnus crazy. Whatever they say, he decided, they were not going to lay a finger on Taako.

       “OH! I know!,” the male elf exclaimed after some of the most painful minutes of Magnus’ life, “how about we double down on the others? They should get to have twice as much fun in place of their dear friend who is just too pooped from the party!”

       As horrifying as that should have sounded, Magnus had a small moment of relief. He could take Taako’s place by giving up double what the original offer is. Magnus was certainly the best off out of the three of them by a ways. Merle had taken a major hit near the end of the fight, and while it was enough to light a spark in Magnus to finish off the battle, it left Merle severely roughed up.

* * *

 

      _They had decided Taako should keep his distance, after it was apparent that he had been pretty badly injured by the falling machinery. He would stay behind and cast spells from a distance as Magnus and Merle assaulted the beast head on. It had been working decently well, until Merle was head butted square in the chest. Magnus had been knocked over and was prone on the ground, too far away to get to Merle to save him and deflect some of the blow. His stomach had dropped like a stone, his breath caught in his chest, and his blood ran cold as he realized what was about to happen. The creature’s head lowered and Magnus couldn’t even scream out a warning as he saw the beast heading full throttle directly at Merle, and it had been Taako who had rushed to Merle’s aid._

_He was a second too late; the beast sent Merle flying backwards. Then with a swift turn of its head it struck Taako in the chest, too. Magnus was already in motion before he realized it, RailSplitter raised above his head, and he brought his axe down clean through the beast’s neck as Taako stumbled backwards. The beast was defeated. Magnus’ heavy breathing wracked his aching body and he could only hear the blood pounding in his ears. That’s when, out of the corner of his eye, he saw Taako crumple to the ground and—_

* * *

 

       Magnus was brought back to the present as the female elf shrieked in delight. “OH! What a brilliant idea! What a fun new rule to this little game of ours!”

       Immediately all the lights in the room shut off, surrounding the boys in complete and total darkness. A single spot light flashed down on to Magnus, Merle, and Taako, momentarily blinding Magnus as their eyes adjusted to the bright intensity of the light. Another spotlight illuminated the body of the beast, reflecting off the blood that continued to poor out of the creature’s severed neck. This time, instead of a door appearing on the other side of the room, the floor dropped out from beneath the fallen beast. There was a pause, and then from the gaping hole in the ground where their enemy’s body had just been rose a podium. Atop the podium was a small wooden box.

       “Here’s the deal, friends,” the male elf chirped. “One of you will take the load off of your tired companion there and sacrifice double of whatever is in that box.”   
  
       “Now go on,” the female elf said, excitement very clear in her voice, “Who will volunteer?”

       Magnus immediately turned to Merle, looking his friend directly in the eyes almost daring him the challenge his decision, “Merle, I’ll do it.”

       “Wait wait, hold on a second,” Merle said, holding up his hands, “let’s think this through first.” His eyes were wide, pupils dilated in a fear he tried so desperately to hide. It validated Magnus’ decision immediately.

       “Already have,” Magnus replied immediately, “I am the healthiest one of us right now. I can handle whatever they have in store. I can still fight whatever comes head on and you can take Taako’s place and attack from afar while keeping him out of danger. It makes the most sense.” His voice was even and sure. This is what he knew had to happen if they had any chance of progressing in this stupid game.

       He could see Merle trying to think of a different solution so that he himself could make the next sacrifice, but in the end he lowered his gazed and let out a dejected sighed. Merle’s expression was pained, but Magnus stayed firm in his decision. He knew he was right. If Merle had to give up more than he could handle and he too became useless in a fight, Magnus would have no back up and have to go solo. Plus, Magnus would have to focus not only on winning the next battle to come, but also on making sure Taako and Merle were safe from harm. He didn’t like those odds.   
  
       Magnus put his hand on Merle’s shoulder, and the older dwarf looked at him with sad and tired eyes. He pulled Merle into a one arm hug, being careful with Taako still in the other. He heard Merle’s breath hitch slightly, clearly trying to keep himself composed, and when they released from their embrace the cleric took Taako and rested his head in his lap. Magnus looked Merle in the eyes again and gave him a nod, trying to muster up as much confidence as he could. He wasn’t sure if that confidence—what little of it there was remaining—transferred to his smile, but regardless of whether he looked genuinely convincing or just pathetically half-hearted, Merle nodded in return. His expression stern.

       Glancing down at Taako, seeing his friend so badly hurt and pushed far beyond his limits, gave Magnus the strength to get up and approach the podium. “I volunteer to sacrifice double in Taako’s place,” he called out, eyes never straying from the small wooden box. His voice had rung out strong and confidently around the room, and hearing it echo back made Magnus believe; he could do this.

       “Fantastic!” both elves cheered in unison.

       “Inside the box is what you will sacrifice for not only your friend, but also your prize,” the male elf explained. “Doubling down! How exciting, right?”

       Magnus stopped in front of the podium. He tried desperately to level his breathing, to keep his facial expression neutral. He didn’t want those crazy elves to know just how scared he was. Admitting he was scared was hard for Magnus, but he could definitely say that right now he was terrified. His heart was beating rapidly against his ribcage, his breaths were short and quick, and it took every ounce of strength left within him to keep his knees from shaking. So much was out of his control and they just needed to make it a little farther in order to win the bell but who knows how much farther and how much they’d have to give and—

       He took another leveling breath.   
  
        _Stop_ , he thought to himself, _Just focus on the present. Do what you need to do now to get to the next thing. Then do that and keep going. One at a time. You got this._

       He reached out and opened the lid to the box, hoping the elves couldn’t see how his hand shook as it approached the lid.

       He looked inside. The box was empty.

       “What? I—I don’t,” Magnus was so confused. This doubling down business meant he had to give up twice as much, he was expecting to lose a literal arm and a leg. But, no, in the box was nothing.

       The elves had started cheering and clapping, excited about what had just played out before them. “Isn’t it great! You get to choose what to sacrifice!” the male elf exclaimed, clearly very proud of his idea.

       “Yes how wonderful,” The female elf agreed, addressing her companion with shared pride. “You get to decide what your friend’s life is worth to you.”

       Magnus was stunned. His body was stuck stiff. He couldn’t breathe. He was ready to accept whatever they were going to take—just close his eyes and give up whatever they wanted from him—,but he had not expected this. He felt like the room was spinning

       What was Taako’s life was worth to him? _Everything_ , his mind immediately said. Taako and Merle were everything to him: adventuring companions, friends, brothers, family. They were all he had and all he truly cared about, and he would give up everything including his own life, without hesitation, for them if the situation demanded it.

       But that wasn’t what needed to be done here. He couldn’t give up his life right now and leave a heavily wounded Merle and a near death Taako to continue this quest on their own. They’d never make it. He needed to think of something. Something he could sacrifice while still being able to follow through with this mission until they succeeded.

       Who knows when that is going to happen, a little voice in his mind said. You guys have been beat to hell and you don’t know if you are any closer to getting that bell.

      _Stop. Breathe,_ Magnus thinks, pushing the voice far away into the back of his mind and shoving it deep deep down. What could he sacrifice? Is what he giving up already doubled, or will they take twice as much as he offers? If they aren’t satisfied with what he gives up, will they fail them immediately, or make him give up more? So many thoughts whirled around in his head it was dizzying; he felt like he was going to vomit.

_No, stop it. Just breathe,_ he told himself.

       It seemed the safest bet would be to give up something on the smaller side. If they doubled it, then he would've taken that into account with his offer and he would still be useful in the coming fights. If they failed them and plunged them head first into another fight immediately, then again he would still be in decent condition. If they made him give up more then, well, he’d have to think of something else, but for now he had to choose something that he could survive losing at the minimum.

       “I would sacrifice all the items in my possession, excluding my weapons, for Taako’s life,” Magnus announces.

       There’s several beats of silence while the elves consider his offer.

       “Hmmm,” the female elf said, sounding rather disappointed, “not what we were expecting, but let’s see what that is.” Magnus heard a finger snap and the podium with the box sank into the floor, and in it’s place remained a hole.

       “Go ahead,” the male elf sighed, sounding equally disappointed, and yet there was still a twinge of intrigue. Something about his tone made Magnus feel uneasy.

       Magnus begins going through his items, removing them one by one and dropping them down into the hole in the floor, watching them fall into the darkness. He starts with things he doesn’t immediately use and quiet frankly is okay with giving up. Capt. Captain Bain’s badge goes first, followed by a cockroach mandible, his bear mask, and the Glutton’s Fork. He hadn’t realized he had gathered so much stuff from his time adventuring, and seeing all the items brought back so many memories. He started to get into a rhythm and hadn’t even noticed he was about to drop the whetstone gifted to him by Killian.

       Magnus froze, hand outstretched over the pit, the small duck shape firmly held in his grasp. Whether he acted like it or not, Magnus loved gifts, getting them, giving them, everything. The whole process of finding or making something you knew someone would like filled Magnus with such joy, and getting a gift was great because you knew the other person had put in the same amount of effort and love into that item.

He knew he had to drop it, though. It pained him, but he had to fulfill his sacrifice in order to progress through Wonderland. In order to save Taako and Merle and retrieve that stupid bell they came here for.

_I’m sorry, Killlian_ , Magnus thought, _This sacrifice is for you, too. We’ll make it back and we can sit and carve something together. Maybe we make a gift for Carey._ Magnus couldn’t help but let out a small and pained sigh as he dropped the whetstone and watched it sink into the darkness.

       Next Magnus pulled out a tiny box, given to him by Johann. The tiniest smile pulled at the corner’s of his mouth. He remembered when Johann had given it to him, and even though Magnus gave him shit for it he really did appreciate the gift. _I’m sorry, Johann,_ he thinks, as he watches the small music box fall into darkness.

       Magnus hadn’t even realized he was down to his last item until he reached around his bag and pulled out the only remaining thing in there. In both hands he held a small hardcover book, the title on the front reading “Caleb Cleveland, Kid Cop”. His heart plummets.

       Angus. He remembers how happy the kid was when he had given them the book, hopping in place in excitement as he got to share something he loved with the people he loved. They had immediately given him shit for it—that’s just their style—but Magnus knew the others felt that same growing warmth in their chests that he felt as he looked down and saw Angus’ smile beaming up at them, eyes glistening with pride. It made Magnus’ heart hurt.

       But it put a thought front and center in his mind. They were going to make it out of here. They are winning this sick game and retrieving the bell and making it back to the moonbase. They had to for Killian, Carey, Johann, the Director, and the world. They had to for Angus.

        _I’m so sorry, buddy, Magnus thinks, holding the book out over the pit. I’ll make it up to you. We’ll get out of this sick place and when we return home we’ll go to the bookstore and buy a new one. We’ll get you whatever book you want and sit and listen while you read it to us and it’ll be great. It’ll be fine, Ango. I promise._

       Magnus watched the book sink into the inky blackness.

       The wait was unbearable. Magnus was sure the only sound that could be heard in the room was his own heartbeat. He had stepped back from the hole in the floor and looked up, waiting for the elves to speak. When they did, it was not what he was hoping to hear.

       “Hmm,” the male elf said, voice heavy with disappointment, “that was quite a sacrifice. I’m sure you’re friend would be happy to know how much his life is worth to you.”

       The female elf agreed, “yes, yes of course but, hmmm.” She paused. “I can’t help but feel like there’s something missing. A key element to make this sacrifice truly heroic.”

       Magnus thought he heart had already been beating as hard as it could, muscles tense and breaths quick. He was certain his chest was going to explode.

       “Oh! I know!” the female elf exclaimed, false uncertainty gone, replaced with pure sadistic joy. “How about a life for a life? The ultimate sacrifice! A decision befitting the greatest of heroes!”

       “How wonderful!” the male elf cried, “that is just what we love to see in Wonderland!”

       He heard their words, and even though his heart was still pounding Magnus was oddly calm. Death was not a frightening concept for Magnus--in regards to himself, that is. He was always prepared to die; he had little regard for his own life unless he was protecting others. That’s when staying alive became important.

       Magnus closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “Okay,” he said, voice as steady as he could make it, “I’ll do it.”

       The elves began applauding, showering him with praise ladened with false sincerity.

       “Oh how marvelous!” the female elf cheered.

       “Beautiful,” the male elf said, claps slowing down until it was only silence and Magnus’ heart.

       Magnus approached the hole in the floor, eyes unfocused but steps solid. He thought he heard Merle behind him, pleading with him to not go through with it, but Magnus felt like he was in a trance. He remembered what he had said to Merle about how they would fight in the upcoming battles, but he couldn’t stop. He couldn’t back down now. He couldn’t even turn around to bid his friends good bye, to tell them they were going to be okay and that they could do it. His body just moved forward, even steps carrying him to his fate. Maybe they were almost done. Maybe this was the last round. The ultimate sacrifice to end the ultimate stage of this wicked game. If this final act could protect the others and get them to the end, he was ready to die. He only snapped out of it when he heard the male elf spoke.

       “Go ahead! Drop in the bowl and we can move on to the next exciting round,” Magnus heard the male elf’s voice say.

       He stopped, fugue-like march to certain death halted immediately.

        _Bowl_ , he thought,  _What bowl were they--?_

       Steven’s sphere suddenly felt ten times heavier on his belt.

       Wait. No. That can’t be right. They wanted him to sacrifice Steven? It made no sense. It was one thing if Magnus chose to die--it’s a decision he could consciously make--, but Steven? Steven was just an innocent little fish, along for the wild ride through this absolute and total hell.

       “You want me to…,” Magnus’ voice trailed off. He felt woozy, and Magnus couldn’t tell if it was from his injuries, the realization that he wasn’t about to die, or that he was being asked to kill his pet. “You want me to sacrifice Steven?”

       The male elf’s voice was so chipper it made Magnus feel even worse, “well of course! Don’t you think it raises the stakes of the game?”

       “The ultimate sacrifice: a life for a life! Oh, what will our hero do?” the female elf chimed in, dramatically delivering her words like a line from a play.

       Without even realizing, Magnus had undone the ties that kept Steven’s bubble attached to his belt and was holding the orb in front of him. Steven was swimming lazy circles, blowing little bubbles every few seconds. He looked so happy and care-free, completely unaware of the chaos going on around him; he was just a fish. Steven wasn’t doing anything other than living his little fish life in his magic bubble. Why did he have to get caught up in this?

       The female elf’s voice cut through the silence. “Well?” she said eagerly, “what will it be, hero?”

       Magnus’ heart was beating wildly in his chest again. He didn’t want to kill his pet--his innocent fish who had no choice in his fate being put in a magic bubble and given to this human. In his heart he couldn’t do it, but in his mind…

       He turned and looked back at his friends. Taako was still unconscious, head in Merle’s lap. Merle was motionless, eyes wide with something Magnus couldn’t quite identify. Fear? Concern? Desperation? A flurrying combination of the three?

       He knew what he had to do.

       Magnus held the sphere of water out over the hole in the floor. He watched as Steven continued to innocently swim around, entirely ignorant of his impending death. A burning ache tore through his heart. I’m sorry, Steven.

       He closed his eyes and dropped the sphere.

       Immediately the silence was broken by claps and theatrical sobbing. The two elves were sniffling and blubbering like they had just witnessed the dramatic climax of the play. But after only a few seconds of crocodile tears, the elves snapped back to their chipper selves.

       “Well, that was simply moving,” the male elf said.

       “Yes, indeed!” The female elf agreed, “What a remarkable turn of events we’ve had here today. But! We can’t dwell on the past! Here in Wonderland, we always look towards the future!”

       The ache in Magnus’ chest blossomed into rage, a deep, burning rage that flood from his heart and ran to every fiber of his being. He was so sick and tired of these stupid elves and their stupid games. Determination flared up inside of him. He was going to win the stupid bell and when he did he was going to use it to beat the smug smiles right off their smug faces.

_Bring it on._

**Author's Note:**

> first of all, thank you for reading!
> 
> this was definitely more dramatic in my head, but that's okay; i enjoyed writing it all the same.
> 
> i wrote this like two weeks ago while i was pondering what might happen in the next episode. while i do not think this will actually happen (100% sure it will not), the idea stayed in my head so i knocked this fic out in a few hours. it's the first fic i've written in years so i apologize for anything errors in character or grammatical/syntax errors.
> 
> also if i didn't tag something or i misstated something let me know. i have never posted to ao3 before so I'm unsure if i've done something wrong.
> 
> super glad i got this out before the next episode. I'm so excited to see what The Boys' fate is in ep 54 and beyond!


End file.
